PBA expects crop of talent   

DESPITE the exodus of Filipino cage talents who now play overseas in Japan and South Korea, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial remains optimistic that the pro league’s next rookie draft in Jan. 2027 will welcome a fresh influx of talents from the collegiate ranks. Marcial said the pro league will be holding the annual PBA Rookie Draft on Jan. 17, 2027. “I’ve heard from many of our basketball friends that the coming draft will be talent heavy, especially those coming from the UAAP and the NCAA since the tournaments are already done by December,” Marcial told The Manila Times in Filipino. Even players from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League are expected to join the draft, which could bring in young blood for Asia’s first professional league. Geo Chiu, who helped the Abra Weavers win the 2025 MPBL championship, in fact, emerged as the top pick in last year’s rookie draft. The talent depth could potentially attract former Ateneo big man Kymani Ladi, recent Asian Games Gilas 3x3 player Nic Cabanero, former Adamson forward Cedrick Manzano, Forth Padrigao, along with Fil-Americans DJ Fenner and Remy Martin, who recently played for Strong Group in the Williams Jones Cup. While the…